10 Tips to get rid of sunburn

After you go for a beach vacation having sunburn is the most common problem. When you have sunburn, this can be minor which affect only the top epidermis layer of your skin. But in severe case, it reaches to the second layer, or dermis. In addition to pink or red skin, your skin may feel hot to the touch, be painful and itchy, and may swell.

When we get exposed to the sun, we not only get vitamin D but also it helps in melatonin regulation, protection against melanoma, and even changes in your circulatory system. But overexposing of skin to sun’s ultraviolet rays increases the risk of sunburn which may present as dryness of skin, appearance of freckles, discoloration or pigmentation of exposed parts, peeling of epidermal layers. If it is left untreated, you can even have skin cancer.

Here are some home remedies for sunburn.

1. Aloe Vera gel

Aloe is one of the most commonly recommended and effective sunburn remedies. It has excellent anti-inflammatory properties that help deal with the sunburn. It also has soothing properties that can ease the pain related with sunburn. Aloe ends up trapping heat in, possibly making your burn worse and preventing the healing process.

Extract the gel from the fresh aloe vera leaf. Apply the thick coat of chilled gel on the sunburned skin. Let it dry on its own. Repeat this at least three times a day.

2. Cucumber

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Cucumber contains 96% water and healthy nutrients like Vitamin A and C, folate, manganese, silica, sulfur etc. It has natural healing properties due to high concentration of antioxidant and analgesic agents. It has very cool and soothing effects which make it an excellent remedy for sunburn.

Slice the cucumber and put these slices on the sunburned skin for 30 minutes. Change the slices after it get warm.

Grind the cucumber and make a paste. Apply it on the affected skin and leave for 30 minutes. Then wash it off.

3. Yogurt

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The yogurt draws the heat of the burn. Live cultured plain yogurt contains an abundance of probiotics and enzymes that help heal our skin. It helps in fast recovery of pain and redness of burns. But use plain yogurt not flavored one and it should also contain probiotics.

Directly apply yogurt on the affected area and leave for 10 minutes or till it dry. Then wash off with cool water.

4. Baking soda

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Baking soda is alkaline in nature which can be very soothing on sunburned skin. It also has antiseptic properties that will relieve the itchy sensation associated with sunburn. It diminishes the pain and reduces the blazing red appearance of the burn.

Mix baking soda with enough water and make a paste. Apply the paste directly on the affected skin. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash off with cool water. Repeat this daily.

Add a cup of baking soda to the bathtub filled with cold water. Soak in the water for about 15 minutes and pat dry your body. Do this daily.

5. Cold milk

Milk contains fat, protein and pH that have a soothing, anti-inflammatory effect on skin that can give you comfort from various symptoms of sunburn. The protein in milk covers your skin in a protective coating that keeps hydration in the skin, while enzymes heal and soothe. The cold temperature will constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling, while the milk will create a protein film that helps ease pain.

Take a cup of cold milk and soak a clean cloth in it. Apply the cloth to the sunburned area for half an hour. Wash off with cool water and pat dry. Repeat this process three times a day for best result.

6. Potato paste

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Raw potatoes have starch-based compounds that help to relieve from sunburn. Starch helps to draw heat out of your skin. Potatoes have been known as a pain reliever throughout the years. It is very useful in minor skin irritations and soothing scratches, bites and burns. It helps to reduce inflammation.

Peel and blend the potato pieces and make a paste. Apply the paste on the affected skin and let it dry. Then wash off with cool water. Repeat this daily.

Slice the potato and gently rub on the affected skin.

7. Coconut oil

Coconut oil is used as a sunblock and interestingly it can also heal the sunburned patches of skin. Lauric acid, a major component of the oil, promotes the healing of sunburned skin. The vitamin E present in coconut oil works as an antioxidant, which helps decrease inflammation caused by sunburn. Because coconut oil is very light, it also is absorbed quickly by the skin and can provide results within a few days.

Be careful and use coconut oil after one day of sunburn but not immediately after sunburn.

Slightly warm coconut-oil and gently rub on the sunburned skin. Repeat three times daily.

8. Stay hydrated

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Water is the best internal remedy for sunburn. Sunburns dehydrate, so it is crucial to stay fully hydrated to allow for a much faster healing process. We often don’t think about the fact that we really, truly, seared our skin. As with any other thing that burns your skin is dried out, and your body is probably dehydrated too.

Keep on drinking water even though you don’t feel thirsty. Make sassy water if you can’t drink plain water but keep hydrating.

9. Green tea

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Green tea contains catechin, theobromine and tannic acid which help to soothe sunburn pain and also heal damaged skin. Along with green tea, you can add mint which is naturally very cool and sooths sunburns too. You can use black tea bags to substitute green tea.

Soak few green tea bags in warm water and let it cool down. Take the tea bags out and apply it over the sunburned skin. Leave for 15 minutes.

Empty few tea bags of green tea in warm water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Stain the liquid and chill it out. Soak cotton pads or cloth in the chilled liquid and apply directly to the affected skin.

10. Apple cider vinegar

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Apple cider vinegar is a great astringent. It can soothe sunburn pain and also speed up the healing process. The acetic acid present in apple cider vinegar helps ease itching and inflammation. It can also work like a natural aspirin. Pure unfiltered apple cider vinegar seems to work the best, and often times proponents of this method say is most effective after a cool or tepid shower. But avoid using apple cider vinegar remedies if you have abrasions on your skin.

Add one cup of apple cider vinegar in bathtub filled with lukewarm water. Soak in this water for about half an hour. This will help balance the pH level of sunburned skin and promote healing. Follow this remedy once daily as needed.

Mix equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and cool water. Soak paper towels or cotton towel in the solution and place them over the affected skin area. Leave them on until the towels are dry. Repeat this 2-3 times a day.